The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) advocated for the swift ratification of the agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).
The agreement aims to address the gaps in existing legal frameworks governing the high seas, focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo emphasized that the Philippines, as a maritime and archipelagic state, plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of the world’s oceans and seas.
“The adoption of the BBNJ Agreement marks a watershed moment in our collective endeavor to safeguard the health and sustainability of our ocean for present and future generations,” Manalo stated.
Manalo reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to UNCLOS, describing it as “the constitution and legal framework that equitably allocates rights and duties, and governs all activities in the ocean and seas.”
He also expressed the country’s aspiration to be among the first states to ratify the agreement, thereby contributing to its early entry into force. As one of the initial signatories of the BBNJ agreement, the Philippines is prioritizing the completion of its domestic procedures to ratify the treaty.
The DFA is also actively engaging with the Philippine Senate and the Congress to secure their concurrence in the ratification process.
“I look forward to hearing the views of our dear members of Congress on the opportunities that the BBNJ may offer in refining Philippine maritime policy and legislation,” Manalo said.
“We hope our symposium will also provide the space for exchanges and discussions for legislators around the world, as they will ultimately craft our maritime legal regime, and thus further fuel efforts towards early ratification of the BBNJ not only for the Philippines but also for other states,” he concluded.
